“Mobilize” With Strategies for App Developers

May 21, 2012

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Even during this time of recession there seem to be certain industries (or at least certain professions) that have continued to flourish, including healthcare professions such as nursing, home care, and related technologies, as well as fields like engineering and accounting. But you may not be interested in a technical position, or the schooling required for such degrees may be beyond what you’re willing to pursue. What about creative fields or those that cater to self-starters? In fact, there is one area of the consumer marketplace that is spreading like wildfire and it requires neither a degree nor a lengthy interview process. If you have stellar ideas for mobile apps and you’ve got the technical know-how to create them, there’s no reason you can’t skip college and go straight into working for yourself.

Of course, it’s not quite as simple as paying your $99 to enroll in Apple’s iOS Developer Program and starting to upload your applications. You have to have a sound business strategy in place in order to compete on a level that allows you to earn a living through your efforts. Even though app development is considered to be within the scope of the technology industry, in many ways it is better categorized as a creative profession. And we all know how the stereotype of the starving artist came about; any time you’re pedaling something that is subjectively appealing (rather than being of some practical use) you’re basically crossing your fingers that it’s going to gain consumer attention. And if you want to do well in the arena of app development, Rana June Sobhany has some advice to offer in her audio book “Mobilize: Strategies for Success from the Frontlines of the App Revolution”.

Although this selection is over a year old at this point, which potentially makes it a dinosaur in technological terms, the fact that Sobhany focuses on the principles behind good business has given it added longevity and relevance (although you’ll no doubt notice that some of her numbers are a bit outdated). The real trick to succeeding in this highly competitive market is not having a great idea or coding and developing a good game (or other type of app). According to Sobhany, there are plenty of people out there with great ideas and decent technical skills trying for that same brass ring. What will set you apart is your ability to promote your product effectively and support it over time in order to sustain earnings after your initial success.

While she provides plenty of examples of individuals and corporate developers who have hit with successful apps, she doesn’t shy away from offering equally motivating stories of those who have failed miserably in their efforts, perhaps putting all of their money into developing an amazing product only to drop the ball when it came to marketing and utilizing other tools for promotion (like search engine optimization, for example). You may not need to attend the best MBA online programs in order to get started making apps, but the truth is that you need some knowledge of how successful businesses are run if you want to make any headway as an app developer. With “Mobilize”, Sobhany offers step-by-step strategies that will help you to design, develop, market, and sell your products in a virtual ocean of apps.